Share in the Life of Christ

The Church moves closer to the end of the Octave of Christmas and the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary bring us back to the basic truth of this season,” the Word became flesh and lived among us” (John 1.14). The first letter of John is a warning to the Church that there are those among us who distort the truth. The author reminds the faithful of the link to the truth which is Jesus, the Word. The Incarnation celebrated by the text which begins the Gospel of John is the realization of the desire that God is with us. The psalmist proclaims “Let the heavens exult and the earth rejoice!” The Lord God is come to rule us with righteousness and truth. In our righteousness or relationship with God we come to know the Truth which is written on our hearts as we accept the indwelling Word of Jesus as our guide to living life to the full (John10:10). This “Incarnation” is quoted as the basis of moral theology, “a more vivid contact with the mystery of Christ” in the last of the Second Vatican Council documents, “Gaudium et Spes”. The heretics or “anti-Christ” described in the Letter of John present arguments which on one hand may advocate a humanistic morality which is not dependant on the Transcendent Presence, whichis also immanent, or may separate the realm of the Divine and the realm of imperfect humanity in reasoning similar to the Platonic, Stoic and Gnostic influences in the Church at the time of John. The truth will be recognized by disciples through faith which trusts that the Will of God is accomplished by living according to the example revealed by the Spirit in our relationship with Jesus.